OATdb Archive

2009 - 2010

Library, Reference / Instruction

Goal
Collection
Provide seamless access to a collection of high quality resources, including print, web-based resources and locally produced content, which meet the curricular and research requirements of the University.

Objective
Electronic Reference Books
Students, especially Distance Learners, will be able to access Reference material online via Reference Universe.

Indicator
Evaluating Electronic Reference Book Use
Determining electronic Reference book usage by viewing use statistics of Reference Universe yearly.

Criterion
Electronic Reference Books
 Electronic Reference Books usage statistics will show increasing use by students.

Finding
Electronic Reference Books
The use of Reference Universe by year shows a 71.5% increase in total searches of materials in holdings (items in our Reference Collection print are electronic) between 2007-2008 compared to 2009-05/2010. There was a 14.5% in total searches of materials in holdings between 2008-2009 compared to 2009-05/2010. These numbers do show a definite increase in use of Reference materials. 


Action
Electronic Reference Books
The Reference Department will continue to select electronic books for the Reference Collection that will support SHSU's Distance Learning courses while providing online access to the Reference Collection for traditional SHSU on campus students.

Goal
Services
Provide and improve the services that support the learning, teaching, and research needs of students and faculty.

Objective
Library Instruction Programs
Provide library instruction programs for students to assist them to develop basic information retrieval skills using all types of information formats, venues and resources.

Indicator
Library Instruction - Evaluation - Students
Library Instruction Feedback Survey will be used to evaluate relevancy of Library Instruction to the course and any specific assignment.


Criterion
Library Instruction-Evaluation -Student-Feedback Survey Response
The response to the question on the Library Instruction Feedback Survey of "Was the presentation relevant to your assignment?" should have a 95% positive rating of all student respondents in an academic semester.

Finding
Library Instruction-Evaluation-Student-Feedback Survey
Of students completing the Library Instruction Feedback Survey question "Was the presentation relevant to your assignment?",  98.4% in the fall semester 2009 and 97.2% in the spring semester 2010 answered positively.

Indicator
Library Instruction-Evaluation-Faculty
Use the online Faculty Survey to determine satisfaction with the Library instruction session provide to the class within a given semester.

Criterion
Library Instruction-Evaluation-Faculty-Survey
Maintain an 80% favorable response rate to survey questions relating to: appropriate instruction to course and assignment; librarian well-organized, knowledgeable and helpful; positive impact on student completed assignment on the Library Instruction Session Evaluation survey.

Finding
Library Instruction-Evaluation-Faculty
Fall semester 2009 the "Library Instruction Session Evaluation" online survey was created using SurveyMonkey. Results to survey questions relating to: appropriate instruction to course and assignment; librarian well organized, knowledgeable and helpful; positive impact on student completed assignment were for fall 2009,  overall 77.6% positive response rate,  and spring semester 2010, an overall of 94.8% positive reponse rate.
An analysis of the fall 2009 comments by faculty indicated a greater need for hands-on instruction for students. Instructional sessions where students can practice search strategies while a librarian was present to assist and instruct on an individual basis was requested, as were more innovative and creative instruction sessions in general.

Action
Library Instruction Action
A Bibliographic Instruction Team was formed June 2010. Learning outcomes were developed, and specific student skills were identified as required outcomes. An outline has been developed for all ENG 165 courses that require all students to view the "Information Literacy Tutorial"  and the video "How to Find a Book on the Library Shelves" before the Library Instruction session, this will save time during the instruction session, allowing for more independent student work while a librarian is present to assist. This new instructional format is scheduled to begin fall 2010.

Objective
Library Subject Guides
Students will be able to have ease of access to Library subject guides in the Library and online.


Indicator
Subject Guides
 Usage statistics will be checked on a yearly basis.


Criterion
Subject Guides
The number of hits on the Subject Guides in PDF format currently available on the Library's web site will indicate use by students.

Finding
Subject Guides, Online
Analyzing the web log to determine the number of hits on each subject guide seemed inaccurate; data was lost or not captured. An investigation of library subject guides by other academic libraries identified a web-based platform (Lib_Guides) that provides a template for the production of a more interactive subject guide series. The web-based guides will eliminate the need for the PDF form currently available to students. Usage statistics will be easier to capture once the subject guide is moved to the Lib_Guide platform. Next year a baseline for usage statistics will be acquired and will indicate use by students.


Criterion
Subject Guides-Up Dates
30% of the Subject Guides will be updated.


Finding
Subject Guides-Up Dates
Fourteen (14) or 28.5% of the Subject Guides were updated in the 2009-2010 academic year.

Action
Subject Guides
Library Subject Guides will begin to be transferred from current pdf format to Lib_Guides online format by Fall Semester 2010.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement More and more often Reference books are being selected and purchased that are in electronic format. This is a trend occurring in university libraries across the country, as more courses are either taught or supported online.  


28.5% of the Library Subject Guides were updated in the 2009-1010 academic year. With the transfer of all Subject Guides and handouts in an online platform, LIB_Guide product, 2010-2011 academic year should see a greater percent of the Subject Guides and handouts revised, and an increase in use by students.

The Student Feedback response form found an above 95% relevancy rating during both the fall 2009 and spring 2010 semesters. The "Library Instruction Session Evaluation" completed by Faculty saw a lower than expected rating fall 2009, and a much higher than expected rating for spring 2010, as of May 20, 2010. In response to the lower than expect rating a Bibliographic Instruction Team was formed in the summer of 2010 and a new and more hands-on and creative format was developed for the ENG 165 courses for fall semester 2010.